Teng’s resignation takes Gerakan by surprise

GEORGE TOWN (May 7, 2013): The resignation of Penang Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Teng Chang Yeow (pix) has taken party members by surprise.

Penang Gerakan chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan said he did not expect such an announcement so soon after the polls.

"Chang Yeow is a straightforward person," he told theSun when contacted.

Chang Yeow, who was tasked with wresting the northern state from PR, announced his resignation as state chairman and Gerakan secretary-general on Sunday night following Penang BN's dismal show in the polls.

The coalition failed to wrest back control of the state from Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

To add salt to injury, PR increased its hold on the state with an additional seat, making it 30 seats out of 40 that were contested, while Gerakan and MCA did not win even one seat.

This included Chang Yeow, who lost in Bukit Tengah to PKR's Ong Chin Wen.

Teng said it was still too early to decide on Chang Yeow's successor, adding that Gerakan would do some soul searching to reinvent itself.

In another development, state Gerakan secretary Goh Kheng Sneah also resigned from all his party posts with immediate effect after losing to PKR's Dr T. Jayabalan for the Batu Uban state seat.

The former Batu Uban assemblyman, who will remain an ordinary member, said the people of Penang had given the party a clear signal based on the disappointing results.